The Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone (PCPZ) in Fujian province is considering promoting the business of horse racing in its free trade zone, Oriental Morning Post reported on Jan 18, citing local officials.

“We will hold horse racing activities in the framework of the law and policies. It will have nothing to do with gambling like it is in Hong Kong. We will try to offer prize money instead to get the sport off the ground and see how superior authorities respond to it,” said Zhou Qingsong, deputy director of PCPZ’s administrative committee, in an interview with the newspaper.

The State Council approved three FTZs in Fujian, Guangdong and Tianjin last December. The Fujian FTZ is composed of three parts in Fuzhou (31.26 sq km), Xiamen (43.78 sq km) and Pingtan (43 sq km).

The FTZs are due for inauguration in March, after the country reviews them and gives the green light to specific projects, policies and mechanisms submitted by local authorities.

The FTZ in Pingtan will be divided into three areas – the port economy area, high-tech industrial area and leisure tourism area.

Compared with Fuzhou and Xiamen, Pingtan is expected to have more preferential policies in cross-Straits communication and cooperation. It will also have more freedom in sectors of trade service, shipping and personnel exchanges, said Zhou.

He reveals that Pingtan also plans to accept Taiwan’s professional certificates especially in architecture, banking, accounting, law, medical care and teachers in a bid to attract more Taiwanese to work in Pingtan.